Chapter 47
When she offered to let her stay, Qi Sijia had absolutely not thought in that direction.
One, she couldn’t accept someone sleeping next to her. Two, she and Meng Jiang lacked the time to get to know each other further.
Meng Jiang was good in every way, and her pursuit was very attentive and alluring. The details that she had not cared about before were now completely laid bare in front of Qi Sijia. Those stories seemed to have been embellished into sincerity, becoming the only richly colored story in Qi Sijia’s desolate heart.
It was precisely because she was so good that Qi Sijia’s matters needed to be told to her openly.
At the door, Qi Sijia lowered her eyes and withdrew her finger, which had a fingerprint on it.
Then she turned sideways slightly and took a step to the side.
“The password to the house is 768921,” Qi Sijia asked Meng Jiang, “Did you remember it?”
“What?” Meng Jiang narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice a little distant. She stood there, a bit of an indescribable emotion exploding from this string of numbers.
Qi Sijia patiently asked again, and only then did Meng Jiang nod.
She took two steps to the side, making room for Meng Jiang. “Then, come on in.”
“Isn’t this inappropriate?” Meng Jiang’s gaze landed on Qi Sijia’s face as she asked tentatively, “You’ve told me the password. Aren’t you afraid that I’ll just walk in in the future?”
Qi Sijia looked back at Meng Jiang and said that there was nothing to be embarrassed about. This house wasn’t hers, and she wouldn’t be living here for long.
“Next time you deliver food, send it here.”
Meng Jiang was still standing there. Hearing this, she met Qi Sijia’s gaze, and then the corners of her eyes raised, and she said in a teasing tone, “You’re thinking quite far ahead.”
Qi Sijia met her gaze and said in a low voice, “Can’t I think far ahead?”
This made Meng Jiang laugh. She said with a smile, “If you think far ahead, there will be a future. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Qi Sijia ignored her.
Meng Jiang teased her a few more times, but got no response. Her heart was still fluttering. She entered the password, and the door opened. She turned on the light.
Without any of the previous awkwardness, she left Qi Sijia behind and walked in gracefully.
There were only two pairs of slippers in the house, both of which were Qi Sijia’s.
Usually, only the black assistant came over. He would change into shoe covers when he came, but Meng Jiang couldn’t. She had a cleanliness obsession.
Considering this, Qi Sijia said she would go to the convenience store downstairs to buy a pair of slippers for Meng Jiang.
Meng Jiang had already taken off her high heels and was stepping on one of the nearby slippers. “It’s snowing heavily outside. Don’t go. I’ll wear yours.”
“You don’t mind?” Qi Sijia asked.
Meng Jiang curled her lips and said, her gaze on Qi Sijia’s lips, “When have I ever minded your things?”
A casual flirtatious remark, but she didn’t expect Qi Sijia to reply, “What things of mine?”
After the two of them entered the room, neither of them deliberately mentioned the joke from just now. Qi Sijia told Meng Jiang to make herself at home.
She went to the bathroom and laid out new toiletries for Meng Jiang.
There were no new towels, bath towels, or pajamas for the time being. Qi Sijia said, “You can use mine.”
She said it naturally.
It was as if everything could be shared. Shampoo, shower gel, perfume, lipstick, everything. All the items had Qi Sijia’s scent, and soon these would also be on Meng Jiang.
Meng Jiang rubbed her fingers and said in a very low voice, “Okay.”
At this point, the surprise of this day for Meng Jiang was placed in a more exciting way. Whether it was the stimulating kiss in the RV or this series of subsequent reactions from Qi Sijia, it all seemed to be saying one thing: I’m accepting you.
Adults are not short of discernment. Qi Sijia did not speak, but her actions were so obvious that it was impossible for Meng Jiang not to see.
Originally, Meng Jiang had not expected anything to happen either, but now, looking at Qi Sijia, her heart inexplicably accelerated.
So after the two adult women had heated up the atmosphere, one in the dining room and one in the bathroom, they exchanged a glance from a great distance, and then looked away as if to cover up.
“Which room am I sleeping in?” Meng Jiang said, trying to make small talk, but the words came out even more out of place.
Qi Sijia lowered her eyes and glanced at her. “Where do you want to sleep?”
This situation was new, tense, and exciting for Meng Jiang.
Although it wasn’t the first time, at that time, she was in her early twenties, and the location was a university dormitory. Behind the dormitory was a basketball court, with the chaotic sound of basketballs being dribbled.
It was so noisy it was as if they were in the open air. At that time, she didn’t mind the environment.
When the feeling came, she would kick off her shoes, climb onto the narrow bunk bed, and sleep soundly, pressed against each other.
When they were young, they had done everything, and they had to be stuck together at all times.
But now, the feeling was different from before. Every step was very steady.
The heartbeat and ambiguity were very slow, but because it was slow, every glance seemed to be worth savoring with deep affection.
Now, alone in the middle of the night, that layer of window paper was being peeled off bit by bit. With each layer, Meng Jiang actually felt very stimulated. This feeling was too out of sync with her current age and logic.
Immature, and a little bit of a delicate and chaotic heartbeat.
Her eyes were filled with a bewitching charm, and her features became even more radiant and rosy. Meng Jiang brushed her long hair off her cheek.
She feigned ignorance and said, “I don’t know, I’ll follow Teacher Qi’s arrangement.”
Qi Sijia neither said yes nor no.
She walked from the bathroom to the bedroom. Meng Jiang couldn’t read any expression on Qi Sijia’s face. She had always been cold. She stood in front of the wardrobe, reached up to the shelf, and bent down to find two sets of new cotton bedsheets in the bedroom wardrobe.
The master bedroom had a 1.8-meter soft bed, covered with a sky-blue bedsheet. The fabric was not as comfortable as the one in Meng Jiang’s house, but the cotton was soft. A crystal chandelier hung above her head, and the warm yellow light shone down, giving the down quilt the scent of sunlight.
Meng Jiang glanced at it. I don’t know who gave her the courage, but she opened her mouth and asked, “Aren’t you and I sleeping in the master bedroom?”
“If you want to, you can,” Qi Sijia said, holding the quilt and walking out of the master bedroom to the guest room. She added, “Sleep by yourself.”
Her emotions went up and down. Meng Jiang lowered her eyelashes and said “oh.” Her phone rang. She quickly turned around and pressed the answer button.
The call was from Jiang Ru. It was the end of the year, and the company’s financial settlement, the previous quarter’s summary, and Meng Luo’s investment projects for next year all had to be discussed with Meng Jiang.
Recently, in order to pursue someone, she had already pushed a lot of work onto Jiang Ru. But Meng Jiang couldn’t escape the decisions that needed to be made. Every night at around ten, the work report from Meng Luo’s senior management in China would be held on time.
Meng Jiang covered the receiver and greeted Qi Sijia.
“Teacher Qi, I’m going to take a call.”
Qi Sijia said, “Go ahead. You can use the study.”
Meng Jiang’s footsteps, which were turning towards the balcony, paused. She looked at Qi Sijia’s back. For a second, her gaze was burned.
Qi Sijia was sideways, her slender waist curved, creating a sinuous arc. After five years, she had actually grown a little taller. Long legs, a slender waist, and a semi-circular peach-shaped buttocks. Her sleeves were rolled up to her slender elbows, and her exposed skin was a cold white, every inch of it poking at Meng Jiang’s vision.
Meng Jiang especially wanted to hang up this call right now. It didn’t matter if she did nothing. She wanted to hug the Teacher Qi who was making the bed from behind.
But in the end, she only dared to think about it.
Jiang Ru on the other end called “Meng Jiang,” “Meng Jiang.”
Only then did Meng Jiang react. She reined in the burning emotion in her eyes and walked towards Qi Sijia’s study.
After the guest room was tidied up, Meng Jiang was still on the phone.
Qi Sijia sat cross-legged on the sofa, opened her laptop, and began to look at the group files that the black assistant had organized.
Her phone was on the side, on silent. Qi Sijia’s work state was generally not fond of being disturbed. She could stay in the study all day.
Tonight, Meng Jiang had occupied the place, so Qi Sijia moved her work to the living room.
Agreeing to participate in the post-production of Wasteland was actually a private job.
Qi Sijia had taken a day off, but the work at the studio would not be reduced at all. It would be piled up on time.
Without Qi Sijia, the progress of the script production and the subsequent changes by the partner on set was slow. Tonight, several editors in the screenwriting team were all working overtime.
In the work group chat, the black assistant was relieved. [Teacher Qi is finally online. Shanshan is about to work herself to death.]
Qi Sijia didn’t talk much. [How much is left? @Shanshan]
[One-third.] Shanshan sent a crying emoji.
Qi Sijia said, [I’ll do it.]
She didn’t talk much. Her work state was not very smiling, which made her seem strict and cold.
The entire work group became very quiet as soon as Qi Sijia appeared.
Then, after she finished reading the subsequent episodes, she began to assign new tasks in an orderly manner.
[Let’s order some coffee for everyone. Everyone is definitely going to work late tonight.] The black assistant mourned for them.
It was only eight now, so of course, no one was sleepy. But according to the completion amount of the episodes today, the fastest would be to work until twelve.
Qi Sijia glanced at the warm light coming from the study and, after a moment of thought, said, [If you can’t finish it by ten, do it tomorrow.]
The work group was silent for a moment.
Shanshan: [Isn’t Teacher Qi working overtime tonight?]
Lili: [Surprised.jpg]
Black assistant: [Teacher, are you not home yet?]
Lili: [@Black assistant, Teacher is not at home? You didn’t take Teacher home today?]
[No, Teacher has a date.]
…
The rest was idle talk. Qi Sijia didn’t look at it. She closed the social media software and used voice commands to get everyone to work together.
Qi Sijia didn’t know when Meng Jiang had finished her call. It wasn’t until the sound of water splashing came from the bathroom that Qi Sijia stopped typing.
She took a moment to look at the time. It was already ten-ten.
So she opened the work group and sent a voice message. “Let’s get off work.”
A few minutes later, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped. Qi Sijia glanced over there. The frosted glass door outlined a hazy, yellowish silhouette, half-hidden, half-visible. It was a different feeling from what she had seen in the RV. Now it was late at night, and the light in the bathroom was on, like a duck eggshell with a furry filament.
Qi Sijia looked at it several times and then reacted. She calmly walked to the fridge, twisted open a bottle of mineral water, and poured it down her throat. Actually, her period was in a few days, and it was not appropriate to drink cold drinks at this time. But no matter how inappropriate it was, she still wanted to drink some.
This time, Meng Jiang had brought her own toiletries, so she didn’t need Qi Sijia to get things for her.
After Qi Sijia finished her water, she walked back to the sofa and closed her computer.
She did not immediately go back to the bedroom. Although she felt that the atmosphere today was a little strange, Qi Sijia did not change her mind. Because she was too busy, after today, she didn’t know when she would have time to get together again.
She had intended to talk to Meng Jiang, but the doorbell rang.
Qi Sijia frowned and went to open the door in her slippers.
“Mom?”
Wei Yunfang was now outside the door, holding a black crocodile leather square bag. Qi Sijia’s features were mostly inherited from her. When she wasn’t smiling, she looked cold.
But if Qi Sijia was cold, Wei Yunfang was truly a serious and cold career woman. Due to her long-term frowning, she had a “川 (river)” character mark between her eyebrows. Her assistant was standing far away at the elevator entrance, dressed just as formally as Wei Yunfang in a three-piece suit.
“I have a case in New York, so I came to see you on the way,” Wei Yunfang said. “I’ve called you so many times and you haven’t answered. I had to ask Right for your address.”
“My phone was on silent, so I didn’t hear it,” Qi Sijia replied, not intending to let her in.
Wei Yunfang sized up Qi Sijia for a few moments, her gaze shifting from her to the inside of the house. As a lawyer, she was naturally good at reading people. Her gaze landed on the pair of high heels at the entrance that were not Qi Sijia’s size.
Wei Yunfang calmly looked at the living room but didn’t see anyone.
There was a hazy silhouette in the bathroom. Before she could take a closer look, Qi Sijia naturally moved her feet, blocking Wei Yunfang’s entire view.
She’s protecting the person in the room.
Wei Yunfang was stunned. She frowned and asked, “You’re in New York for treatment, and you’ve made a new friend?”
Qi Sijia had been socially anxious for five years and had never made any new friends.
Leaving aside who the other person was, just the act of Qi Sijia bringing someone back was enough to surprise Wei Yunfang.
Qi Sijia had nothing to hide. She said, “Yes.”
“Is it a girlfriend? It’s okay if you don’t want to say it.” Wei Yunfang’s brows furrowed slightly and then relaxed.
She was not yet used to her daughter’s sexual orientation. Although five years had passed, the pain from that time was still there.
Under the reminder of the lesson from five years ago, Wei Yunfang still managed to force a smile.
Qi Sijia saw it clearly and lowered her eyes. “We’re just seeing each other. If it works out, we’ll be together.”
Wei Yunfang stood at the door and did not go in. After a long silence, she said, “Does your dad know?”
“No,” Qi Sijia replied, her face still showing little emotion. In the years of her social anxiety, her facial expressions were probably more than they were now. After all, after she started treatment, according to Mike, every change in her personality was a stress reaction change based on her current social survival state.
“Do you think Qi Jun will accept it?”
Qi Sijia thought about it seriously and said, “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need to look at his attitude.”
Seeing this, Wei Yunfang relaxed her grip and said, “Alright, I know.”
She looked at Qi Sijia’s thin face and said, “You know what you’re doing.”
“You’re not stopping me?”
“I’m not going to be a nuisance anymore. I did something inappropriate five years ago. After all, Qi Jun and I didn’t understand you. To this day, I still feel that we are the ones who caused you to become like this.”
Wei Yunfang sighed and said, “It’s your business who you want to be with.”
“As long as you accept that you won’t have children in the future, that you’ll be lonely and helpless when you’re old, and that same-sex relationships are unstable, you can be with whomever you want. That’s your decision. If I stop you, I might lose my own child in the future.”
Qi Sijia looked at Wei Yunfang as if she were seeing her for the first time.
For so many years, they, mother and daughter, had never even met each other’s eyes. Suddenly looking up, Wei Yunfang met Qi Sijia’s eyes.
After a long pause, she finally said, “Did Mom say something wrong?”
Qi Sijia looked away, her tone softening a little. “No. How are you getting back tonight?”
“The driver is downstairs.”
“Do you want to come in for a glass of water?”
Wei Yunfang said, “No need. I came unannounced tonight. I’m afraid I’ll scare your friend. Another day, when you’re both mentally prepared and have settled down, you can bring her over for a meal.”
Qi Sijia nodded. “I will.”
This was the first time she had spoken to Wei Yunfang so cooperatively. After so many years, Wei Yunfang found that taking this step was like a release for herself. She waved at Qi Sijia, and with her personality, she didn’t say many motherly words.
She turned and left. Qi Sijia walked her to the elevator.
Wei Yunfang stepped into the elevator and turned back to Qi Sijia. “If Qi Jun gives you a hard time about your new friend, I’ll talk to him.”
Qi Sijia said, “It’s okay. I can handle it myself.”
She said it calmly. Wei Yunfang patted Qi Sijia’s shoulder and gave her a light hug.
“Don’t wrong yourself.”
Qi Sijia said, “You too. Be careful on your way home.”
After seeing Wei Yunfang off, Qi Sijia closed the door.
She saw Meng Jiang just coming out of the bathroom. Her expression was hidden in the shadows, and her long, curly hair was soaked and stuck to her back.
Qi Sijia took a hairdryer from the bathroom and handed it to her. “Dry your hair.”
Meng Jiang held the hairdryer and stood in front of Qi Sijia without moving, glancing at the door.
“Am I going back?” she asked.
These words were very roundabout and suggestive, a tactful way of saying that she had heard a lot of what had just been said.
Meeting Qi Sijia’s eyes, Meng Jiang didn’t say anything, as if she were waiting for what was to come.
Qi Sijia saw it and raised an eyebrow. “Go back where?”
“Just now…”
“That was my mom,” Qi Sijia interrupted her. “What else do you want to know? Just ask.”
“Why didn’t you let your aunt stay here?” Meng Jiang asked.
Qi Sijia looked at Meng Jiang meaningfully and smiled.
She deliberately said more, “She has her own house, in the center of New York City.”
Meng Jiang’s fingers, which were holding the hairdryer, froze. A complicated look flashed across her eyes. She still said tactfully, “The housing prices in the center of New York City are not cheap. You and your mom…”
Halfway through, Meng Jiang paused and looked up to meet Qi Sijia’s calm gaze.
She put away her hesitation and said directly, “What’s your family situation?”
Qi Sijia laughed softly. “No more pretending?”
Meng Jiang patted her arm with the hairdryer and said, “What am I pretending? I’m asking you a serious question.”
“You’re asking seriously, and I’m not answering seriously?”
She had intended to talk about it in depth. At this point, no matter how tactful Meng Jiang was, Qi Sijia had no intention of beating around the bush. She answered very directly, “My mom is a lawyer, and my dad is—Qi Jun, the one you know. They invested in foreign real estate more than ten years ago. At that time, they bought in bulk at a group price, a few hundred thousand per set.”
This day had been very stimulating. Meng Jiang had thought that this stimulation was brought by herself.
But Qi Sijia’s statement about her family background was a direct blow to the heart.
After the surprise, Meng Jiang took the hairdryer and went to the bathroom to dry her hair.
After her hair was dry, Qi Sijia was still sitting on the sofa waiting for her.
Meng Jiang didn’t say anything. She sat down, and Meng Jiang deliberately left a distance between them. She turned her head and looked at Qi Sijia.
Qi Sijia let her size her up. After sizing her up, Meng Jiang couldn’t sit still anymore. She leaned over, and Qi Sijia said, “Let’s talk.”
